Batting

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – In a battle of high-powered offenses the pitchers ruled, as No. 21 Georgia College (30-14) edged Erskine College (26-19) 4-3 at John Kurtz Field Friday night. Senior righty Eric Pettepher (Gordon, Ga.) went the distance for his second complete-game victory of the season.

"It's the goal you keep shooting for, but to be honest you're happy with seven or eight good innings," said Pettepher postgame. "When the ninth rolls around and coach thinks you have it, you go out there and keep fighting."

Pettepher (5-3) scattered eight hits and three runs over nine innings, fanning six. The righty shut down nine batters in a row at one point.

GC put up two in the first on a Richard Pirkle (Norcross, Ga.) home run, taking a 2-1 lead. Erskine answered right back with a two-run shot of their own, off the bat of centerfielder Chase Corn. The game remained 3-2 until the fourth, when Pirkle doubled and was brought home on a Tanner Funk (Kearney, Mo.) single for a 3-3 tie.

The go-ahead run was a Travis Echols (Lawrenceville, Ga.) blast to left in the seventh. Pirkle finished 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs.

Erskine reliever Andrew Guest (6-3) took the loss, throwing the seventh and deciding inning. Corn finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run.

The Bobcats are back in action tomorrow, April 23 at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader against the Fleet.

The Georgia College Department of Athletics, back-to-back winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup, sponsors 10 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' multiple appearances in post-season competition as well as documented academic success and community-service involvement. Sign up at www.twitter.com/BobcatSports and www.facebook.com/gcbobcats for up-to-the-minute reports, and visit www.GCBobcats.com for more information, and to nominate your favorite former Bobcats and Colonials to the GC Athletics Hall of Fame.